Wind musical instrument



Dec. 22, 1931. P. J. BURKLE 1,837,201

WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1396-1931. P. J. BURKLE wnm MUSICAL mswnuusm Filed Sgpt. 18, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 2 ain 3 2 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE PHILIP J. BURKLE, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 C. G. CONN,LTD., OF ELKHART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA W'IND MUSICALINSTRUMENT Application filed September 18, 1930. Serial No. 482,735.

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments normallykeyed to a single tone, as for instance to bugles.

It is an object of the invention to provide an instrument of this typefacilities for changing readily from one tone to another, so as toalter, for instance, a tone to which a bugle is keyed, selectively fromG to D or vice versa.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an instrument of thistype in which the alteration from one tone to another may be effectedwithout material alteration of the appearance of the instrument.

It is another object of the invention to provide in an instrument ofthis type selective different paths for the sound, and to maintain oneof said paths inactive or closed to the advance of the sound when theinstrument is set to its normal key, an additional path or by-pass forthe propagation of the sound being freed at the time when the normalpath of the tone is closed to the propagation thereof.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an instrument ofthis type with a by-pass of relatively great length selectivelyinsertable into the path of the sound, whereby through the additionallength through which the sound has to travel the key thereof is altered.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide in abugle of thecharacter described a plurality of rigidly interconnected similarlyoperable valves adjustable to permit the passage of the sound in eitherone of two predetermined ways.

With these and numerous other objects in view an embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings to which referenceis made in. the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved bugle of this character.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same instrument viewed from theopposite side.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the valve structurein normal position.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of said valve structure.

Figure 5 is partly side elevation and partly section of the valvestructure and pertaining portions of the instrument.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation and detailed sectional viewsimilar to Figure 5 showing the valve structure in adjusted position,and

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view on line 77 of Figure 6.

The instrument comprises a sound tubing made up of straight portionswhich are interconnected by bent portions to form one continuous pathfor the sound produced by the application of the mouth of the player tothe mouth piece 1. The straight portion 2 of the tubing connected withthe mouth piece merges into the bend 3 to communicate with a parallelstraight portion 4, the bend 5 whereof establishes communication withanother straight tube portion 6 having a sharper bend 7 in which theimproved valve assembly 8 is inserted and this bend 7 which establishescommunication with another straight portion 9 leads through thegradually enlarged path 10 to the sound outlet or bell 11.

The valve assembly which is inserted in the bend 7 is primarilyillustrated in Figures 3 to 7 inclusive and comprises a stationarycasing in the form of a straight tube 13 from which at fixed distancesshort tubular ex tensions or nipples 14 and 15 project at right angle tothe tube 13 in opposite directions parallel to each other. The straightportion 13 is provided, in axial alignment with the nipples 14 and 15,with transverse openings 16 and 17 respectively.

The nipples 14 and 15 maintain in axial alignment with said openings 16and 17 the tubes 18 and 19 respectively which are firmly united with thestraight casing 13 so as to constitute together with the tube 13 and theshort nipples 14 and 15 a rigid self-contained structure adapted to bepositioned between the straight portions 6 and 9 of the tubing.

Each of the fixed tubes 18, 19 contains a short slidable tube 20, 21respectively intersecting the tube 13. Each of these short slidabletubes 20, 21 is provided with a transverse short tube 22,23 respectivelyadapted to be normally maintained in alignment with the fixed tube 13.The slidable tubings 20,

21, however, are extended beyond their intering 27 having its center inthe lowermost line 4 of contour of the tubing 21.

It is obvious, therefore, that upon the tubes 20, 21 being positioned asindicated in Fig ures3 or 5 a directsound passage is pro vided throughthe sound tubing as shown by the arrows and no communication isestablished between this tube 13 and the tubes 20,21. a i

If, however, both of these tubes 20 and 21 are shifted to the left(Figure 3) to assume the position shown in Figure 7 the cross walls ofthe tubings 20, 21 and the closure walls 24, 25 will obstruct thepropagation of the sound towards the left but will provide a differentpath since the openings 26 and 27 are now in alignment withthe tube 13.V For the purpose of facilitating the simultaneous adjustment of thevalve tubes 20 and 21 to provide either a straight passage 30, Figures3and 5, or to obstruct this straight passage, there is provided aconnecting bend 28 secured by a'nipple 29, 30, Figures 6 and 7, to saidslidable tubes 20 and 21, and disposed to facilitate the gripping of thetwo tubes for the purpose of adjustment.

When, therefore, the direct passage through the tubing 13 is obstructedupon movement of the two valve tubes 20, 21 to the left this tube 13 isin communication with a bypass '31 of relatively great length, as

' shown in Figures 2 and 5. This by-pass comprises the two straightportions 32 and 33 and the bend 34. The straight portions are both 7parallel to each other and connected each at the sound will travelthrough the straight portion of the tube and then continue, in a directpath to the discharge of bell 6 of the instrument. When the movablevalveshave been adjusted to the position shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7respectively, however, the straight path through the tubing 13 isobstructed and the sound is by-passed through thetube 31, as indicatedbv the arrows,

ure 7 over arelatively long path which will naturally alter'the pitch orkey of the tone.

Hence by means of a slight adjustment of a'valve structure the key ofthe entire instrument may be varied. While the normal key may be G, thekey to which the instrument may be altered will then be D and in a verysimple way the restoration to the original key G may be effected. V

For the purpose of determining the proper position of the'valvestructure upon alteration of the instrument means are provided forlimiting the shifting movement of the movable valves in eitherdirection. A lug 40 is secured to the stationary tube 14 adjacent theend thereof. A similar lug structure 4'1 is fixedly mounted on one ofthe shiftable tubes as 20, this lug 41 for instance being secured asshown in Figures 5 to 7 on the nipple 29 through which the bend 28 isconnected with both of the tubes 20 or 21.

A pin 43 extends through the two lugs '40 and 41 and may be securedfixedly as 'by'soldering or In some other suitable way to the movablelug 41. This pin is provided at the opposite end where it projects fromthe lug 40 with a head 44 which may be adjustable thereon and it isobvious, therefore, that the maximum extension obtainable is determinedby the variable effective length of the pin 43. The maximum inwardextension also is limited,'as indicated in Figure 5, by that position inwhich the ni ple 29 abuts the outer end" of the stationary tubing 14. 7

From the above it will be seen thatthe alteration of the instrument fromone key to another can easily be accomplished at any desired instantthrough the proper adjustment of the movable valve structure, forutilizing the by-pass 31 to alter the'cha'racter of the tone, or forshutting oif the bypass from utilization by not only providing the paththrough the straight tube 13 but also directly obstructing the inlet tothe by-pass 33 through the transverse walls 24 and 25 respectively. V

I claim:

1. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly forming apart thereof, a pair of fixedguide tubes extending from said valve assembly, a by-pass in opencommunication with said guide tubes, and valve tubes slidable withinsaid guide tubes, said valve tubes containing means for opening the paththrough said valve assembly, and means for obstructing a path throughsaid valve assembly and opening a path through said by-pass.

2. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ofa-sound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, tubular extensions insaid valve assembly, a relatively long by-pass tube mounted on saidextensions, valve tubes slidable in said extensions, and means forsimultaneously adjusting said valve tubes to the same extent relativelyto the valve assembly.

3. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, tubular extensions onsaid valve assembly, a by-pass connected with said extensions, valvetubes slidable in said extensions, and a bend connecting said slidablevalve tubes, said valve tubes containing transverse tubings in alignmentwith the sound tubing when said slidable valve tubes have been shiftedto a predetermined position and also containing transverse closure wallsadapted to obstruct the sound through said valve tubes when the latterhave been shifted to another predetermined position.

4. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a a valve assembly inserted therein, tubular extensions onsaid assembly, a by-pass permanently in communication with saidextension, valve tubes slidably within said extensions and a bendconnecting the portions of the slidable valve tubes which project fromsaid extensions, the valve tubes enclosing transverse tubings inalignment with each other and the sound tubing when the valve tubes havebeen moved to a predetermined position to provide a straight passage forthe sound through said valve assembly and sound tubing, said slidablevalve tubes also enclosing a transverse obstruction and being providedwithcircular openings, whereby upon a diflerent adj ustment of saidslidable valve tubes said obstruction is in alignment with a wall of thesound tubing and said circular openings are in alignment with the boreof the sound tubing to provide a sound passage through the by-pass andto obstruct the direct sound passage through the sound tubing.

5. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, tubular extensions onsaid valve assembly, a by-pass communicating with said tubularextensions, valve tubes slidable in said extensions, and means forconnecting said valve tubes, said tubular extensions each containing atransverse tubing held in alignment with each other, and each valve tubealso containing a transverse wall and having a circular opening, thecircular openings on the two valve tubes being located at diametricallyopposite points of said tubes, whereby upon selective adjustment of saidvalve tubes a straight sound passage through the sound tubing isproduced, or said straight sound passage is obstructed and a soundpassage through the by-pass is produced.

6. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, transverse extensionson said valve assembly, a by-pass communicating permanently with saidextensions, valve tubes slidable within said extensions, and means insaid valve tubes for selectively providing a straight sound passagethrough the tubing and valve assembly and for providing a by-pass forthe sound, respectively.

7. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, a pair of tubularextensions on said valve assembly, a by-pass in communication with saidextensions, slidable valve tubes in said extensions, means forsimultaneously adjusting said valve tubes to produce a direct passagethrough the sound tubing or to close the direct passage andsimultaneously produce a sound passage through the by-pass,respectively, and means for determinmg the extent of adjustment of saidvalve tubes.

8. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of asound tubing, a valve assembly inserted therein, tubular extensions onsaid valve assembly, a by-pass communicating with said tubularextensions, slidable valve tubes within said tubular ex tensions, meansin said valve tubes for selectively establishing a direct sound passagethrough the sound tubing, a sound passage through said by-pass,respectively, common means for adjusting said valve tubes, and variablemeans for limiting the extent of said adjustment.

PHILIP J. BURKLE.

